Taiwanese authorities, under pressure from China's military, are rushing to mass produce small ships called "aircraft carrier killers," and two new ships were delivered to the navy on the 26th, much earlier than originally planned.
This small ship was built by a Taiwanese shipbuilding company, and the first mass-produced ship entered service in September 2021.
In response to the increasing activity of Chinese military vessels and aircraft around Taiwan, the Taiwanese authorities have been preparing a special budget for five years since October 2019 to hasten the mass production of these small ships. The fifth and sixth ships were delivered to the Navy 20 months ahead of schedule.
The ship has a twin-hulled design for stable navigation at high speeds, has stealth properties that make it difficult to be detected by enemy radar, and is equipped with anti-ship and anti-aircraft missiles, earning it the title of ``aircraft carrier killer'' in the Taiwanese media. is.
At a handover ceremony held at a port in Yilan County, facing the Pacific Ocean, President Tsai Ing-wen praised the completion of the first phase of mass production, saying, ``The ship's excellent performance has been internationally recognized. "Our accomplishments thus far are a testament to Taiwan's warship-building capabilities and our determination to defend democracy and freedom."
Taiwanese authorities have advocated a strategy of ``asymmetric warfare'' to deter China, which has overwhelming military power, with mobile equipment, and plan to build five more ships by next year as the second stage of mass production of the same ship. is.